Disposable absorbent articles, such as infant diapers and adult incontinent products have achieved widespread acceptance by consumers. Articles of this nature are typically configured for single use, with an absorbent core or panel of the diaper ordinarily provided in an integrated structure including a liquid permeable topsheet or facing layer, and a liquid impermeable backsheet or backing layer. Adhesive coated tape tabs are typically provided to facilitate convenient fitting of the diaper to the wearer.
Current commercially available absorbent articles typically incorporate a pair of standing leg gathers which extend upwardly generally about respective side edges of the absorbent core. Such a standing leg gather defines a barrier or wall at the respective side edge of a central crotch area of the article, which acts to prevent or retard the lateral flow of fluidic body exudates, such as urine or fluidic fecal material.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,148, to Beckestrom, discloses a protector against incontinence comprising an oblong absorbent body which is fixed to a bottom liquid-tight layer, illustrated as a plastic sheet extending outside the absorbent body. The lateral edge portions of the bottom layer are folded in over the absorbent body and form side flaps. The side flaps are fixed at their opposite longitudinal ends to the bottom layer. An elastic element is arranged at an edge of each of the side flaps to elastically contract the side flap. When the protector is put on, the side edges of the side flaps come into elastic sealing contact in the thigh creases of the crotch to provide improved containment of the body exudates.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,892,528, to Suzuki et al., teaches a disposable diaper having an upwardly-extending leakage protecting baffle positioned inwardly of a respective flat elastic leg seal. An inner portion of a hydrophobic and breathable nonwoven fabric element has at its upper free edge elastic means to form the leakage protecting baffle, which extends upwardly about a respective side edge of an absorbent core. An outer portion of the nonwoven fabric element is preferably secured onto a liquid impermeable backsheet to form a leakage protecting seal outwardly of respective side edge of a topsheet.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,695,278, to Lawson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,704,116, to Enloe, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,795,454,, to Dragoo, illustrate other variations of standing leg gather constructions.